John McCormack

it’s the saturation of our political discourse — and especially our airwaves — with eliminationist rhetoric that lies behind the rising tide of violence.

Where’s that toxic rhetoric coming from? Let’s not make a false pretense of balance: it’s coming, overwhelmingly, from the right. It’s hard to imagine a Democratic member of Congress urging constituents to be “armed and dangerous” without being ostracized; but Representative Michele Bachmann, who did just that, is a rising star in the G.O.P.

Yes, this is the same Paul Krugman who "joked" in his New York Times column:

What makes that "eliminationist rhetoric" even better is the fact that effigies of political figures were burned at Krugman's election night party in 2008, as the New Yorker reported. Talk about a "climate of hate."

"If Arizona promotes some real soul-searching, it could prove a turning point," Krugman concludes his column today. "If it doesn’t, Saturday’s atrocity will be just the beginning."

Krugman provides no evidence that "toxic" rhetoric played a role in Saturday's shooting, but if it's soul-searching Krugman demands, perhaps he should start with his own soul.